As the first Canadian to chime in on this thread, I'll offer this:<br><br>As for your flag - I'm of the opinion that if you are proud of your country (your country, not necessarily your government), then you should wear your own flag, or no flag at all if you aren't into that sort of thing. If you are afraid to travel somewhere and be "discovered", then you should probably stay home. As for giving Canadians a bad name, BS.The same would happen if every Canadian wore a US flag. There are nice people and jerks from every country. Canada has a reputation for being polite, but that doesn't mean I've never met a jackass from Canada - I work with plenty of them. And I've met many nice Americans too.<br><br>As for travelling to Canada - there are so many different cultures all across Canada. Pretty much each province has a different culture, different architecture - it's worth seeing more than one Canadian city. I grew up in Nova Scotia on the east coast where everything has a friendly, welcoming, small town feel (that's probably because the largest city is only 300,000 people). I noticed a difference when I moved to Ottawa, and notice a bigger difference when I go to Toronto.<br><br><br>

Hayesk, ease up. When I mentioned my disdain for Americans abroad who pretend to be Canadians, all I was thinking of was Europeans enthusiastically asking them about their country and then getting back vague, evasive answers, as per the standard American who knows precious little about our country. Sure, something similar and equally wrong-headed and shameful were Canadians abroad to start pretending to be American... because Canadians generally know less about Americans than we like to think we do.<br><br>But hey, that's not the case, is it? Americans are pretending to be us... because they imagine doing so will make them feel safer or less likely to receive shabby treatment from the locals, or whatever.<br><br>Finally, yes, Canada has many cultures - old immigrant, new immigrant, rural vs. urban, east vs. west vs. central, the North. This is true of pretty much every country in the world today, so your point is a tad moot. But I did catch the embedded slam at Toronto and Ottawa... whoa, better get on back to your outport home town, you're starting to sound nasty like us big city types!<br><br>(;->))<br><br><br><br>[color:red]max</font color=red>

I don't know if it's actually going to work out or not, but this summer we're supposedly taking a trip to Germany and Italy to visit relatives. My mother-in-law won two trips to london on scratch off tickets, and she's been wheeling and dealing with the lottery comission to get the second trip exchanged into other tickets, and it's looking like it just might work.<br><br>Anyhow, if we do end up going I plan to wear a big American flag hat, American flag jacket, American flag T-shirt. :D<br><br>I think what's funny too, is we always hear about how Americans have a skewed view of the world, yet when some of our relatives who live in Germany were over here for the holidays, their view of things this side of the pond were just as off. <br><br>They kept getting very confused that I actually knew stuff about where they lived, apparently they had the pre-conceived idea I would know zip. This coming from people who fly back and forth between Italy and Germany and forget what country they're in when they cuss each other out and can't figure out why people can understand what they're saying. :)<br><br>

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>Jeez, I hope that ain't a cowboy hat, AssWipe! <p><hr></blockquote><p>Well now that you mention it, I'll have to buy one! :D<br><br>Hey I wonder what they'd think of me rolling in with a Colt six shooter strapped to my side and cowboy boots as well!! :D<br><br>Heh... speaking of asswipe perhaps flag toilet paper.... nah, that'd be sending a contradicting message! :D<br><br>

if i was taking my family abroad as we plan to do in the future to help give them a sense of the world, i wouldn't hesitate to pretend we were from canada . . . especially if i thought it would make us any safer. i doubt we'd act the "ugly americans" when we travelled, but even the nice americans could be targeted. depends on where you go, i suppose, but why take a chance when you have children with you? you don't use your children as a chance to show that americans can be nice and friendly and all that jazz. for that matter, you shouldn't be using your children, but you should put safety first.<br><br>--<br>one of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -Plato

I think you read way too much into my post, Max. I was just saying you shouldn't have to hide your native country. If you do, then you don't want to be travelling there - too dangerous. I'm not sure why you think I got worked up.<br><br>And my point of Canada was having many cultures was that there was a mention of only visiting Toronto. All I was saying was that there's a lot more to the country to experience.<br><br>As for a slam against Ottawa and Toronto - I didn't intend one. I just find people here to be more in a hurry and less laid back. If that's a slam, then I guess I did slam them. I prefer smaller cities.<br><br>I'm not sure why you read my post to be so heavy handed. It certainly wasn't meant that way.<br><br>

Perhaps I unwittingly typify that big city mentality you hinted at. In any case, I apologize for having stepped on your toes, Hayesk.<br><br>Larger cities tend to be less friendly and open, it would seem. Seems anonymity cuts both ways; it affords people a degree of privacy I often personally enjoy, yet it's also true that city people will only treat you well once they realize you're not on the make, out to take advantage of them, etc. I'm generalizing, of course. We also are speedier because the pace is greater - more people per square mile seems to equate to racier living of all sorts - races to work, races to party, races to the grave in some cases.<br><br>In any case, this is material for a whole other thread, isn't it. So I'll leave off. But next time I'm in town I'll look you up, okay? Best to meet up and shake hands, see what each other's all about. Cheers, Hayesk.<br><br>[color:red]max</font color=red>

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